
The Facts: Williams, coming off a career year with the Detroit Lions, has agreed to join the New Orleans Saints on a three-year, $12 million deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal includes $8 million fully guaranteed.
Diehards Line:
Williams fit seamlessly into the Lions' system after joining the team as an unrestricted free agent in 2021. He put up career-best numbers in 2022, leading the league with 17 rushing touchdowns -- which topped the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Barry Sanders in 1991 -- while rushing for a career-high 1,066 yards. In doing so, Williams, who turns 28 in April, became the first Lions player to top 1,000 rushing yards in a season since Reggie Bush did it in 2013. Williams' 10 goal-line touchdowns last season were also tops in the NFL. In New Orleans, Williams also provides a backup plan in the event of a suspension for Alvin Kamara, who earlier this month pleaded not guilty to charges that he and three other men beat a man unconscious at a Las Vegas Strip nightclub before the NFL's 2022 Pro Bowl. Kamara is scheduled to be back in court in July.